From what I've found from researching my transmission problem on my 1997 F150 4x4 4r70w (not down shifting all the time) is that I may have a bad torque converter. My question is. What actually goes wrong with a torque converter? And would I just replace it with a new one from a parts store or the Ford dealer?

Thanks Jeff

 

if get it from ford.... the ones at parts stores are generally rebuilt... torque converters usually just stop locking after a while, and will cause slippage... think about it, theres no clutch on an auto, the torque converter is basically your clutch... so when it goes out, you get no transfer from the TC to the tranny... or at least that was out it was explained to me....

 

Any converter you buy will be rebuilt. The biggest failure in these is the clutch getting fried. That or the plastic stator cap getting destroyed. Have a look for yourself. Here are breakdown of the smaller converter. It's is juat a little smaller everything else is the same.
http://forums.tccoa.com/showthread.php?t=47149
Alan